


I've Been Shouting Under My Breath

by DashFlintceschi



Series: Illnesses/Disabilities Alphabet Challenge [12]
Category: You Me At Six
Genre: Dan's an interfering git, Josh has laryngitis, Josh is oblivious, M/M, Max is a stupid drunk, Mosh because Mosh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-23
Updated: 2014-06-23
Packaged: 2018-02-05 22:37:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1834750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DashFlintceschi/pseuds/DashFlintceschi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Josh has laryngitis, Dan makes him realise how oblivious he's been.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I've Been Shouting Under My Breath

**Author's Note:**

> L is for Laryngitis.

When Josh notices his voice going hoarse, along with the now familiar pain in his throat and the excess saliva in his mouth, he’s both annoyed and thankful. Annoyed because this is literally the ninth time in six months he’s overworked his throat to the point of laryngitis, and thankful because when he notices it, it’s during the last song of the last night of the tour, so at least this time, they won’t have to cancel shows because he’s on voice rest.

As soon as he gets off stage, he clamps his mouth shut. He knows the more he talks now, the longer it’ll take to get better, so he might as well put himself on voice rest now. Matt bounces over to him, grinning widely.

“We’re going to find a club, to celebrate the end of tour, you coming?” He asks, frowning when Josh shakes his head and points to his throat. “Fucking hell, again?” He sighs, and Josh nods, just as the other three approach them.

“What’s happening?” Chris asks, and Matt sighs.

“Josh has got laryngitis again,” he tells them, and Max sighs.

“I thought I heard you going a bit hoarse at the end there, but I was hoping it was just because you were tired,” he tells him, and Josh smiles.

“To be honest, I think I’m going to bail on finding a club. I won’t be able to enjoy it, I’ll be too busy making myself feel guilty over Josh sitting on the bus all by himself while we’re all out getting pissed,” Dan tells them, and they nod in agreement. Josh shakes his head, though, and takes his phone from their tour manager, who they always leave their phones with when they’re on stage. He opens the note app, and types quickly, before holding it out for them to read.

 _‘You guys can go out, I don’t mind. It’ll give me a chance to catch up on Game Of Thrones, and to be honest, I’ll probably take the opportunity to enjoy a wank in peace,’_ They all laugh at that, but Dan still shakes his head.

“Honestly, mate, I only agreed to go out ‘cause I couldn’t be bothered putting up with Matt whinging at me. I’m really not in the mood to go out,” he insists, and Josh shrugs with a nod.

The other three decide to go out anyway, since Josh has insisted he doesn’t mind, and he won’t be alone now that Dan’s not going. The two of them catch up on Game Of Thrones together, then Josh decides to be a good friend and watch some of the Harry Potter films with Dan. The whole time they’re sitting in front of the TV, Josh drinks as much of his Throat Coat tea as his bladder can handle, and uses the best gift anyone’s ever given him. It’s a steam inhalator, a rubber bottle with a face mask that you can fill with hot water and menthol or eucalyptus oil to loosen the gunk produced by laryngitis or a cold. Max had gotten it for him two Christmases ago, and while everyone else thought it was a shit gift, Josh thought it was great, and he still occasionally thanks Max for getting him something so useful.

Just after midnight, Josh’s phone buzzes with a text from Max, asking how he’s feeling. He responds quickly, telling him his throat doesn’t hurt as much now, thanks to Max’s brilliant gift. As he puts his phone back in his pocket, he notices Dan giving him a knowing smile. He raises an eyebrow questioningly, and Dan laughs softly.

“I take it that was Max?” He asks, and Josh nods with a puzzled look.

“I figured. You usually get that dopey, hopelessly in love look on your face when it’s him,” he comments, and Josh quickly pulls his phone back out.

 _‘What the fuck are you talking about? I’m not in love with Max,’_ he types, showing it to Dan with an adamant look on his face.

“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that. Everyone can see it, well, except Max,” he laughs, and Josh frowns.

 _‘I’m not lying, I’m not in love with Max,’_ he types insistently, and Dan laughs.

“Apparently, Max isn’t the only one that can’t see it,” he chuckles, turning back to the TV.

Josh goes to bed not long after that, but he lies awake for hours, thinking about what Dan said. He still doesn’t think he’s in love with Max, but he’s trying to figure out why Dan, and apparently everyone else, thinks he is, and why he thinks Josh gets a ‘dopey, hopelessly in love’ look on his face when he’s texting Max. He realises that Dan might have a point, when the three of them come back just after four in the morning, and he hears Max whining about something hurting, and his heart jumps into his throat. He sits up quickly and swings his legs around as he pulls his curtain open.

“Is he alright?” He rasps, and Chris frowns at him.

“You’re not supposed to be talking,” he reprimands, then sighs. “He’s fine. He drank too much, and on the walk back, he thought it would be a good idea to jump over a bollard, and twisted his ankle, he’ll be alright,” he explains as he and Matt get Max settled in his bunk, making sure he’s lying on his stomach, so he won’t choke if he’s sick.

Josh doesn’t sleep at all, still thinking too much and worrying about Max. He gives up and gets up just after six, and when Dan comes down at seven, he has a note written out and waiting on his phone, which he holds out to Dan as soon as he sees him. Dan gives him a confused look, then squints at the phone with bleary, half asleep eyes.

 _‘You were right, I’m in love with Max. What do I do?’_ Dan sighs and hands Josh his phone back, then makes tea and sits down across from him.

“Tell him. The reason I noticed that you’re in love with him, is because Matt told me that Max is in love with you, so I started watching you to see how you felt about him. Trust me, just tell him,” he insists, and Josh nods, he’s still not sure, but he trusts Dan, he wouldn’t lie to him, especially not about something like this.

Josh is sitting on the edge of Max’s bunk when he wakes up at noon, whining pitifully due to his hangover and the pain in his ankle. Josh brushes Max’s fluffy, slightly matted hair from his face and holds out a cold bottle of water and some painkillers. Max takes them gratefully and chugs most of the bottle in one go.

“How’s the throat? You look like you haven’t slept,” he notices worriedly, and Josh smiles and pulls out his phone.

 _‘It’s a bit better, but it’s not the reason I haven’t slept,’_ Max frowns as he reads it.

“Then what kept you up?” He asks, and Josh laughs silently as he types.

 _‘Dan made me aware of the fact that I’m in love with you. I couldn’t sleep because I couldn’t stop thinking about it,’_ he fidgets nervously as Max reads it, then looks up at Josh with wide eyes.

“Matt kept telling me you felt the same way, but I never believed him,” Max whispers, and Josh laughs again.

 _‘I didn’t believe Dan when he said I was in love with you, I never realised I was until you came back with a twisted ankle last night, and I freaked out at the thought of you in pain,’_ Josh explains, and Max laughs.

“Is that what happened to it? I was wondering,” he laughs, and Josh giggles softly, wincing as it makes pain shoot through his throat. “So, boyfriends, yeah?” Max asks nervously as he takes Josh’s hand, and Josh nods with a grin as he laces their fingers together and squeezes Max’s hand. Thank god for Dan being an interfering git.


End file.
